(by Scarecrow-88 on 31 January 2010)

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are off the Boscombe Valley, hoping to solve the murder of a very much hated farmer, Bill McCarthy(Peter Madden, in suitably despicable form)who was found with his face crushed. Arrested for the crime is estranged son, James(Nich Tate)who was attempting to interpret what Bill meant by "Rat", spoken over and over at his dying breath. A local girl saw James holding Bill in his hands as he slipped away, ultimately implicating him, although this eyewitness testimony is circumstantial at best. Proclaiming his innocence, Bill will not divulge specific information about his father perhaps needed to help his case. Holmes has an idea as to whom might the real culprit be. James is in love with Alice(Heather Kyd), the tender-hearted daughter of the rich Turner(John Tate), dying and not at all fond of the McCarthys. Developing clues emerge including(a) a barmaid named Bella(Sally Sanders),(b) a possible suspect who limps, wears a plaid coat and hails from Ballarat, Austrailia(c)a certain kind of cigar ash, and (d) a notorious gold thief and multiple killer from Victoria, Australia named "Black Jack". Such juicy aspects as blackmail, adultery, bigamy, and revenge make their way into this tale. Important to the plot, Bill wishes for James to marry Alice, but her father Turner wants no part of it. Also, examined is how Turner and Bill became "acquainted" and how the McCarthy's were able to secure the farm without paying for it. Not a bad little episode, and allows Holmes & Watson a chance to get out of London and help a young man get out of trouble for a crime he wouldn't commit, no matter how sour his relationship with the foul Bill McCarthy was. Cushing is spry as always, excited about the idea of offering his deductive wonders to outsiders while Nigel Stock backs him up as the oft-startled Watson, amazed at the clues that surface. The only liability I found was John Tate, whose garbled voice made it hard to understand him sometimes, obviously the actor is portraying the Turner character as a weakened vessel with little energy to speak in a strong way, his heart barely keeping him from kicking the bucket.